Facebook
Fark
Digg
Reddit
Stumble
Courtesy Friends of Red Rock Canyon
Damage is shown after vandals used spray paint on historic rock art panels at Red Rock Canyon.
By Jackie Valley (contact) 
Published Monday, Nov. 29, 2010 | 10:13 a.m.
Updated Monday, Nov. 29, 2010 | 2:27 p.m.
Damage is shown after vandals used spray paint on historic rock art panels at Red Rock Canyon.
A $2,500 reward is being offered to anyone who provides information leading to the conviction of those responsible for recent graffiti on three ancient rock art panels in the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area.
Officials said the art panels — varying in size from 3-by-6 feet to 8-by-9 feet — were completely covered with maroon spray paint. The vandalism happened in the Willow Spring/Lost Creek area, officials said.
The panels included pictographs, defined as paintings and drawings on rock, and petroglyphs, drawings scraped and ground onto the surface of the rock. All were severely damaged, officials said.
The Bureau of Land Management estimates that restoration will cost about $10,000. The vandalism is the most severe case in Red Rock in the past several years, said Mark Boatwright, archeologist for the BLM's Red Rock/Sloan Field Office.
"This act of vandalism has angered not only hundreds of Friends members but has also insulted the memory of the Native Americans who inhabited the area in the past," said Mark Beauchamp, president of Friends of Red Rock Canyon, in a statement. "Defacing their ancient art is the equivalent of destroying our heritage and history."
The vandalism is considered a felony for violating the Archaeological Resources Protection Act, punishable by five years in jail and a fine up to $100,000, officials said. BLM Law Enforcement is investigating the incident.
The drawings could date back to A.D. 1000 and were probably made by the known prehistoric archaeological cultures that lived in the area, such as the Virgin Anasazi or the Paiute.
Researchers are unsure what the abstract pictographs represent. Some of the images include a few smears that were made by fingers dipped in pigment.
Red Rock is vulnerable to graffiti vandals because of its proximity to Las Vegas' urban neighborhoods, said Hillerie C. Patton, a Bureau of Land Management spokeswoman.
"We get a lot of damage and graffiti vandalism all the time," she said. "When people are doing crimes like this they are not thinking it through."
Anyone with information about the vandalism is asked to call (702) 515-5151. Tax deductible donations for the reward and restoration funds can be made by visiting www.friendsofredrockcanyon.org or by e-mailing preserve@friendsofredrockcanyon.org.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
It's a stretch but I can understand how someone might steal to eat, to survive. I cannot comprehend malicious damage to anything--so what if you have no use for it? Maybe someone else does. If you have absolutely no concern for anyone else, everyone else, you don't need to be here.
I'd like to know why?????
Who the hell would want to do something like this?
Why?????
What joy and good feelings could it have possibly given to some malcreant?
Chunky says:
How sad to see this happen to art that has survived centuries.
They should raise the reward if possible.
Looking at the photo of the damages on the Save Red Rock site these were not first-time taggers. Hopefully the police / gang task force can shed some light on who it might have been.
Jerks!
That's what Chunky thinks... that is printable anyway!
I actually agree with Oscar Goodman on this topic....if found guilty.....start cutting fingers off; index first please. (he said thumbs)
What kind of social degenerate thought this was a good idea.....from the looks of it, an idiotic, spoiled teenager who was either high on MJ, or just a worthless rich, spoiled teenager who was weened too fast from his mommy's boob, either way is it a bad scenario. Hopefully the person responsible for this had an equally weak-minded accomplice who will blab.
These pictures need to go to Metro's gang unit or other authority. They specialize in knowing what miscreant could be responsible based on the style or signature.
This absolutely sickens me.
I like Mayor Goodman's suggested solution to this problem. Let's start cutting off fingers.
Despicable.
Well, I for one support the arts. I'll even go so far to say that certain "rattle can" art is ok and can be beautiful if done by a good artist at the right place, say, a consenting property owner.
But this has crossed the line. The person or persons that did this won't forget it. One day, perhaps sooner, perhaps now, guilt and remorse will set in. They can deny it now, but deep down, it's there and always will be there.
Nothing can justify this, nothing. All cultures and races are effected by this. This was an act of thoughtless deviant behavior that won't be forgotten, not by the victims (all of us), nor the perpetrators.
Shame on you. You will have to live with this on your conscious forever.
Only $2500 reward! Should be $100,000 ! All of these low life taggers have their own style and signature! From what I see it could be someone from out of state?
Public hanging. Despicable. Truly despicable. No parenting. No sense of right or wrong.
Chunky feel free to offer up your own reward if you feel that strongly about it.
The only bright side to this is that in 10,000 years, this, too, will be considered historic, irreplaceable art.
In the meantime, cut the vandals thumbs AND index fingers off.
If anyone reading this out there knows anything about this, please offer your information as noted in the article. We need to get these people and stop them.
i can not BELIEVE the sun actually posted the photos of this.
you gave the people that did this EXACTLY what they wanted...some attention.
shame on you.
you could have reported this story without showing what they did.
The park service should have video surveillance of all the cars coming into and out of the park including license plates. This shouldmake it easier to find these SOBs.
stevem, the Friends of Red Rock Canyon want the public to see the vandalism. They have posted these same photos on their Facebook page and are offering media tours of the area. They want the public to see the damage as they search for who did this.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Friends-of...
I'm also for cutting off the fingers of the morons who did this.
Let me get this straight. The ancient vandals created art and these guys created vandalism, right?
$2,500's pretty paltry. How 'bout $2,500 per verifiable digit formerly belonging to the miscreant(s)? I like that much better. I say they step forward or we burn a marijuana field...
Quite honestly, had I stumbled across this in flagrante delecto, there'd be a whole different sort of investigation going on into "what happened at Red Rock". And my work would be covered up in the crime scene photos...
sorry, it is the WRONG thing to give the people that did this the attention they want.
i guarantee you somewhere today they are sitting at home reading this story and thinking they are really cool for getting their "art" in the newspaper.
oh, and you know WHY we can't have security cameras filming what cars go in an out of red rock?
because the millisecond they did that some liberal group would be saying it violated their rights.
Stevem your life is wrapped up in being a conservative wanker. Since you don't live in Las Vegas and Nevada for that matter, can't you mindlessly rant in some other paper?
As long as graffiti clean-up charges are mandated upon the citizenry some may feel obligated in getting their money's worth.
Poetic justice.
: {
This goes beyond having no respect for other's property. The person(s) responsible for this are mentally depraved. Very sad.
Hey SteveM - I agreed with you at first, but then thought - these idiots have probably NEVER read the paper...
It's very sad, Red Rock is beautiful
If caought chop off all (4) fingers above the nukckles. No more spray painting for these guys.
wrapped up in being conservative?
that's a compliment, thank you!
What happened at Red Rock is a crime and a tragedy. I have traveled widely throughout the Southwest and it seems that anything natural and beautiful is fair game for the graffiti artists. I have seen graffiti in caves, on unique rock formations, natural arches, plants and at least 80% of the pictograph and petroglyph panels that I have had the privilage to view. These beautiful art panels are also frequently used for target practice by gun toting vandals. Unfortunately, as the population of the U.S. has increased so has the destruction.
I wonder if any of the government agencies charged with the protection of our lands have ever considered placing hidden video camers powered by solar energy and connected to wireless transmitters so they can be remotely monitored near our priceless artifacts. This might discourage vandals from inflicting senseless damage to our beautiful country.
Unfortunately, The law enforcement officials have not taken a strong stance against graffiti. Not just in LV, but in my hometown as well. Certain areas get tagged over and over. How about a stakeout and some serious prosecution. I'm not blaming law enforcement, after all, they are plenty busy, but lack of enforcement has allowed this to happen more. How about if they catch them, let someone go to the offender's house and destroy their property. That will fix them. As long as parents don't care (this has been going on long enough now that the parents are probably boasting to their teens about their own acts of vandalism 20 years ago), this problem will not go away. Here, at the old pioneer cemetary, vandals have destroyed headstones on WW1 and WW2 graves. The vandals have no sense of respect at all. It's time for city and county governments to allocate funding to enforcement, even if it means cutting other programs to do so.
Ever consider that the works we see carved in the rocks were works of ancient taggers? What would we have lost had their graffiti been eradicated. We weren't the first on this earth, and we will not be the last. Just something to consider.
bghs, to follow in on your bizarre circular logic, here is a rational response; Why are they DEFACING the work of ancient taggers? Are they so FEARFUL of an ancient gang they have to cover their tags.
Stupid is as stupid does. Turn your kid in.
Timothy, Are you positive those ancient etchings didn't cover up even older works using food dies or charcoal? It could be a continuation of a communication chain implemented thousands of years ago.
And, yes, defacing these ruins is horrible in the context of our time here on Earth. And the selfish punks who did this should be dealt with. That doesn't mean we can't stop for a second and look at something in an entirely different way. It's good for the mind.
bghs... are you that dim-witted? Sounds like you're in favor of this act. It's just another stupid punk who thinks it's funny to destroy something that is not theirs.
It's time to hold them (and their parents as well) accountable. Apparently they were not disciplined and made to be accountable for any of their actions by the parents.
It's just another 'Entitlement' to be able to go out and do whatever you want... without consequences.
Hammer them!
The paint should be sprayed on the guilty persons and the persons should be made to sit all day in the hot sun with minimal amount of water to drink until sundown. The next day the same treatment and the next day.
mawzy...exactly how does "defacing these ruins is horrible in the context of our time here on Earth. And the selfish punks who did this should be dealt with." sound like I am in favor of this act? I was simply asking everyone to take a break from their rage and acknowledge that the same basic instinct that drove the Anasazi to carve those symbols could be very similar to the ones the drove our young taggers. The desire to make a permanent record of their presence. Understanding an act, doesn't mean you have to condone it. If you can't look at something from a new perspective, for even a moment, aren't you being a tad dim-witted?
I don't believe that we can go around cutting off thumbs or fingers---but, a hefty fine plus a year of scrubbing rocks/repainting walls, etc. sounds good to me.
Well this is the result of poor education and a corrupt administration...
Pathetic, this cant be fixed or ever replaced. What is wrong with people in this town? Seriously get a clue.
My analysis on this crime is this :
First question ... What does a 'tagger' and a cue ball, have in common ?
Answer : The HARDER YOU HIT, the MORE ENGLISH you get !!!!!
Once these punk Van Gogh's, Picassos, and Rembrandt's are caught :
First, give em' the cue ball punishment effect while 'tagging' them all with spray paint in their disgusting faces.....
After that, stone them all in a single file line with the same smaller loose red rock's in the vicinity while hogtied - this is the only way other than a death sentence they will be deterred from ever doing this type of vandalism again.
Too bad America refuses to enforce the same type of strict laws that other foreign countries do reference to vandalism.
You taggers do not represent, you just purely disrespect, especially on property that does not belong to you.
Many of you are much too permissive. That is the problem with our culture today. There are too few consequences. Apply the concept of Sharia... when caught, cut off the hand that offend thee. A repeat offender... cut off the other hand that offend thee. Soon.... no more graffiti.
Now now, if ya stop and think about it this had to be done by out of towners. No local in thier right mind would do this to our redrock. nawwwww never mind I hope they find these punks and let everyone spray paint them wearing just thier skivvies.
I doubt the authenticity of these pictographs. What year were these discovered? I remember going to Redrock in the fifty's as a child, then attending huge parties during the sixty's and seventy's as a teenager when the road leading to Redrock was a dirt road. This was a party zone for Clark and Western high schools. Lots of people dropped acid, smoked pot and drank alot of beer in this area. I don't ever remember ever seeing pictographs, but I do remember picking up hard stones in drawing on the sandstone. Hmmm! 1000 years A.D. maybe. Modern acid crazed art work more like it.
reward for info, arrest, chop of fingers? screw that. it should just be legal to shoot these idiots on sight, like a dogt chasing deer.